Typographical casting machine



Aug. 30, 1938. R. R. MEAD TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE Filed Aug.- 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l BY I 'l y TTOR: NEI/.52

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.NVENTOR Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNlTED STATES TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE Richard It. Mead, Queens Village, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application August 27,

20 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical casting machines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent to O. Mergenthaler No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print, and then composed in line, the composed line transferred to a vertically movable transporter or rst elevator which presents it to the mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a slugv or lino-type against the matrices which produce type characters thereon, and the matrices thereafter elevated and returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine from which they started. In these machines, it is necessary at times to vary the vertical position of the first elevator during casting in order to bring about the proper alignment of the matrix characters with the mold slot. For instance, in the use of the standard two-letter matrices with characters up to 14 pt; (each matrix bearing on its casting face two superposed characters, the upper roman and the lower usually the corresponding italic) the elevator is allowed to descend to its lowermost level when the line is made up either Wholly of the roman characters or partly of roman and partly of italic characters, whereas, for a full line oi italic characters, the elevator is Aordinarily arrested Aat a slightly higher level. In recent years, improvements have been made to adapt` the machine to handle special two-letter matrices with characters above 14 pt., so that it has been necessary in the use of such matrices to arrest the elevator at a still higher level to align a full line of the italic characters with the mold.v Heretofore, the

machine has been equipped with two vso-called v ller pieces or stop members adjustable relatively toeach other to locate either in operative or inoperative position at will so as to arrest the elevator at any one of three different levels, as desired, but the individual adjustability and use of the stop vrnembers has rendered them unsatisfactory for use in connection with the special larger character matrices.

The present invention contemplates an improved construction and arrangement of two stop members on the vise frame whereby one or both may be swung into operative or inoperative position, as desired. In carrying out the invention,

the stop members are pivoted to the vise frame by a shaft which is shiftable axially for selective connection with one stop member or the other and rotatable manually to effect the adjustment of the stop members. Contaotpieces of different thickness, adapted to be engaged by the elevator,

1937, serial No. l1611,253

are carried by the stop members and arranged so that one overlies and supplements the other' when both stop members are in operative position. Of course, when both stop members are y out of use, the elevator will descend to its lowermost position as determined by its direct engagement with the vise frame. When one stop member is used alone, the elevator will be arrested at a slightly higher level; and when both stop members are used together, the elevator will be arrested at a still higher level determined by the combined thickness of the two contact pieces. Theexact construction and arrangement of parts will best be understood from the detailed description to follow.

, Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan View of a portion of the vise frame equipped with the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, looking from the front of the machine, of the parts shown in Fig. 1, being partly broken away and partly in phantom to show the arrangement;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the casting devices and showing one ller piece in action;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing both ller pieces in action; o

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 8-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. '7 is a similar View looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings, the parts are shown in the relative positions they occupy during the casting operation, Fig. 4 illustrating a composed line of standard two-letter matrices X in cooperation with a slotted mold A of corresponding size, and Fig. 5 illustrating a composed line of special twoletter matrices Y in cooperation with a slotted mold B yof corresponding size. The molds A and B are formed with aligning ribs A1 and B1, respectively, adapted to be engaged by the lower ears of the cooperating matrices in effecting the properalignment of the matrix characters with the mold slot. As will be noted, the aligning rib Bl is considerably thinner than the aligning rib A1, due to the fact that the lower characters of the matrices X and Y are punched with reference to different datum lines (lines drawn through the tops of the inverted characters), making it necessary to present the matrices Y tothe mold B at a higher level than that at which the matrices taken on the line 'L -l,

X are presented to the mold A. The two molds are carried by a rotary disc or wheel C which is manually adjustable so that either mold may be brought into action to the exclusion of the other.

The composed matrix lines are presented to their respective molds by a vertically movable rst elevator D which, in descending, positions the lines between the customary locking up jaws (the right hand jaw El being shown in Ng. 4) of the vise'frame E. As shown, the first elevator D is provided with two pins or set screws D1 and D2, the former acting to limit its descent and the latter arranged to .act upon a so-called vise-automatic F.

When the machine is handling matrices X or Y composed at the lower level, the first elevator is allowed to descend to its lowermost level as determined by the direct engagement of the arresting pin D1 with the top face of the vise frame E; and as the elevator thus comes to rest, its second pin D2 engages' the protruding end of the vise- .automatic F and depresses the same, allowing the machine to operate in the normal way. In this connection, it may be stated that unless the viseautomatic is so depressed, the main driving clutch of the machine will be 'automatically disengaged, and the operation of the machine immediately arrested. l

However, in casting a full line in italics from the lower characters of the matrices X bearing the smaller size characters, the first elevator is ordinarily arrested in a slightly raised position so as to effect the proper alignment of the matrix characters with the corresponding mold A. This is accomplished, as heretofore, by means of a stop member or filler piece H (which may be considered the main stop member) pivoted by a shaft G to the vise frame E and provided at its free end with two contact pieces H1 and H2. The contact piece H1 is designed to cooperate with the arresting pin D1 of the rst elevator, while the contact piece H2 is designed to cooperate with the elevator pin D2, being hinged to the stop member as at`H3 so as to transmit the'motion of the pin D2 to the vise-automatic F as the elevatorcomes to rest, all as well understood in the art.

According to the present invention, instead of having a second stop member to be used individually tov arrest the elevator atl the third or'uppermost level for casting a full line of italics from the lower characters ofthe matrices Y bearing the larger sizecharacters, a second stop member J (which may be considered the supplementary stop member) is pivoted by the' shaftG to the vise frame E and provided at its free end with contact pieces J1 and J2, the latter being hinged as at J3. The stop memberV J is formed with the contact pieces J1 and J2 arranged so as to overlie the contact/pieces H1 and H2, respectively, of the stop member H when both stop members are in operative position, as shown in Fig. 5, the contact piece J2, as already stated, being hinged as atJ3 to rock together with the contact piece H2 in transmitting the motion of the elevator pin D2 to the vise--v automatic F as the elevator comes to rest.

The stop members H and J are adapted to be moved into operative or inoperative position by the manual rotation of the shaft G. To this end, the shaft G is journalled at one end in a block K fastened at the rear side of the vise frame by screws K1 and at the other end in a bracket L secured at the front side of the vise frame by stud D1'wnieha1so serves' to fasten the left-hand eievatfor guide D5 to the visefram'e. The stop inembers H and J are formed in the contiguous inner edges of their hubs Il4 and J1 with radial slots h and y', respectively, adapted to receive a pin g projecting from opposite sides of the shaft G, said stop members H and J being held laterally with their respective hubs H1 and J1 in free engagement by a bracket O secured to the block K by a screw O1. As will be noted, the bracket O extends beneath the stop members H and J and is bent up along the front edge of the filler piece J, an aperture O2 through which the shaft G passes being formed in the bent up portion of the bracket. The shaft G is free to partake of an axial movement to an extent permitted by the pin g riding in the aligned slots h and 7'. Normally, the shaft G occupies the rearward position 'shown in Fig. 3, with the pin g engaged in the slot h, being maintained in that position by a compression spring P arranged between the bracket L and a collar G1 xed to the shaft G. However, by pulling the shaft G forwardly against the tension of the spring P, the pin g may be withdrawn from the slot h and engaged in the slot j (see the full and broken lines in Fig. l). A knurled knob G2 is provided on the forward end of the shaft G to facilitate its axial and rotary movements.

In the operation of the machine, when it is desired to cast a full line of italics from the standard matrices X, the stop member H is moved from its inoperative position overlying the stop member J, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, to its operative position as shown by the full lines in that figure (see also Figs. l and 4) merely by rotating the shaft G which, as previously stated, is normally connected thereto by the pin g. With the stop member H in operative position, the elevator pins D1 and D2 will strike the contact pieces H1 and H2 and the elevator will be varrested above its lowermost level to locate the lower characters on the matrices X in alignment with the mold A. On

the other hand, if the stop member H is in operative position and a line of matrices Y is to be presented to the mold to cast a full line of italics, the shaft will be pulled forwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. l to disengage the pin g from the slot h. in the stop member H and locate it in the slot j of the stop member J, whence by rotation of the shaft G the stop member J will be swung into operative position with its contact pieces J1 and J2 overlying the contact pieces H1 and H2, respectively, of the stop member H as fshown by the dotted lines in Figs. l and 2, (see also Fig. 5). With both stop members H and J in operative position, the contact pieces of both stop members cooperate to provide a composite thicker stop member for arresting the elevator at f the higher level required by the matrices Y.

Several advantages arise from the foregoing arrangement, chief among which are the mechanical adjustment of the stop members to operative or inoperative position by the manual rotation of the shaft G and the arrangement of the stop members whereby, if both stop members are in inoperative position, the stop member J cannot be moved to operative position without carrying with it the stop member H, and whereby, if both stop members are located in operative position, the stop member H cannot be moved to inoperative position without carrying with it the supplementary stop member J. Moreover, the contact piece J1 being formed integrally with the stop member J, it cannot be accidentally displaced, so that when the stop member J is swung into operative position the arrest of the elevator at the proper level is assured.

In the foregoing description, the arrest of the f1rst elevator at different levels has been discussed only with .relation to two-letter matrices. However, such arrest of the elevator is also useful in connection with head-letter or display matrices, that is, matrices bearing a single large character on their casting edges. The head-letter matrices commonly used in the commercial machine fall into two groups, those whose characters range from 18 pt. to 36 pt. and are punched with reference to the same datum line as the lower characters of the standard two-letter matrices X, and those bearing 42 pt. and 45 pt. characters (although they` could be larger) punched with reference to the same datum line as the lower characters of the special two-letter matrices Y. Hence, in casting from `a line of head-letter matrices of the rst group, the stop member H is used alone to arrest the elevator D at the same level as for casting a full line of italics from the matrices X, and when the 42 pt. and 45 pt. matrices are used, both stop members H and J are employed collectively to arrest the elevator D at the uppermost level as when casting a full line of italics from the special matrices Y.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely by way of example and in preferred form and as applied to the specific kind of machine mentioned, but obviously many changes and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specic form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are specified in the claims. It is particularly noted that, in the embodiment shown and described, the parts are extremely simple and can be made at small cost and applied to the machine without the slightest difficulty or delay, and this without involving any alterations in the standard machine parts. In addition, the arrangement is strong, durable and compact, and such that the stop members may be quickly and easily manipulated to carry out their prescribed functions.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: l

1. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, and two stop members for arresting the line transporter at different elevations, the two stop members being adjustable relatively so that one or both may be located in operative or inoperative position, as desired, one stop member supplementing the other when both are located in operative position. v

2. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, two stop members for arresting the transporter at different elevations, the two stop members being adjustable relatively so that one or both may be located in operative or inoperative position, as desired, and means operable selec,- tively to eiect the relative adjustment of the stop members.

3. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, two stop members for arresting the line transporter at different elevations, the two stop members being adjustable relatively so that one or both may be located in operative ori-.inoperative position, as desired, and means operable to effect the adjustment of the stop members individually or collectively.

4. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, two stop members for arresting Athe transporter at different elevations, the two stop members being adjustable relatively so that one yor both may be located in operative or inoperative position, as desired, and common means operable to effect the relative adjustment of the stop members.

5. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, two stop members for arresting the transporter at different elevations, the two stop members being adjustable relatively so that one or both may be located in operative or inoperative position, as desired, and common means operable selectively to effect the relative adjustment of the stop members.

6. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, two stop members for arresting the transporter at different elevations, the two stop members being adjustable relatively so that one or both may be located in operative or inoperative position, as desired, and means operable for connection with one or the other of said stop members to effect the adjustment thereof.

7. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, two stop members for arresting thev transporter at differ-ent elevations, a rotatable'shaft on which the two stop members are pivoted for relative adjustment so that one or both may be located in operative or inoperative position, as desired, and means for establishing a connection between either stop member and the rotatable shaft to effect the relative adjustment of the stop members by rotation of the shaft. v

8. A comb-ination -as in claim 7, herein the rotatable shaft and stop members are provided with intertting elements selectively engageabl-e to effect the connection between the shaft and one or the other of the stop members.

9. A combination according to claim '7, wherein the rotatable shaft is provided with a pinadapted to be selectively engaged in slots formed in the stop members to effect the connection between the shaft and one or the other of the stop members.

10. A combination as in claim '7, wherein adjacent edges of the stop members are formed with slots which register with one another, and wherein the rotatable shaft is provided with a pin and is movable axially to engage the pin in the slot of one member or the other.

1l. A combination-as in claim '7, wherein adjacent edges of the stop members are formed with l,

slots which register with one another, and wherein the rotatable shaft is provided with a pin and is movable axially to engage the pin in the' slot of one member or the other, and including resilient means arranged normally to hold the shaft with the pin engaged in the slot of one of the members.

12. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, two stop members for arresting the transporter at different elevations, one stop member being supplementary to the other and the mem.- bers being adjustable relatively to each other so that one or both may be located in operative or inoperative position, and means for effecting the relative adjustment of the stop members, said means being operable to adjust the supplementary member relatively to the other member only when said other member is located in operative position.

13. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter provided With an arresting pin, a main and a supplementary stop member pivotally arranged side by side and having contact pieces to cooperate with the pin, the supplementary stop member having its contact piece arranged to overlie the contact piece on the main member when .the members occupy their operative position.

14. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter provided With an arresting pin, a main and a supplementary stop member pivotally arranged side by side and having contact pieces to cooperate with the pin, the supplementary stop member having its contact piece arranged to overlie the contact piece on the main member when the members occupy their operative position, and means to adjust the stop members relatively to each other so that one or both may be located in operative position.

l5. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter provided with an arresting pin, a main and a supplementary stop member pivotally arranged side by side and having contact pieces to cooperate With the pin, the supplementary stop member having its contact piece arranged to overlie the Contact piece on the main member when the members occupy their operative position, and means to adjust the stop members relatively to each other so that one or both may be located in operative position, said means being operable to adjust the supplementary stop member relatively to the main member only when the main member is located in operative position.

16. In a typographical casting machine, the lcombination of a vertically movable line transporter provided With an arresting pin, a main and a supplementary stop member pivotally arranged side by side and having contact pieces to cooperate With the pin, the supplementary stop member having its contact piece arranged to overlie the contact piece on the main member When the members occupy their operative position, and means to adjust the stop members relatively to each other so that one or both may be located in operative position, said means being operable to adjust the main stop member relatively to the supplementary stop member at all times When the latter member occupies its inoperative position and to adjust the supplementary stop member relatively to the main member only when the main member occupies its operative position.

17. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, an automatic device governing the operation of the machine, two stop members for arresting the ltransporter at different elevations, one stop member being supplementary to the other and the members being adjustable relatively to each other so that one or both may be located in operative or inoperative position, a

yielding section provided on each stop member to act upon the automatic device When the stop members occupy their operative position, one section overlying the other When both members are in use, and means for effecting the relative pieces to cooperate with said pins, one contact I piece being rigid and the other hinged to cooperate respectively with said arresting and automatic device operating pins, and the contact pieces on the supplementary stop member being arranged'to overlie the corresponding contact l,

pieces on the main stop member When the members occupy their operative position, and means to adjust the stop members relatively to each other so that one or both may be located in operative position, said means being operable to adn just the main stop member' relatively to the supplementary stop member at all times when the latter member occupies its inoperative position and to adjust the supplementary stop member relatively to the main member only when the main member occupies its operative position.

19. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, tvvo movable stop members, one for arresting the transporter at a given level and the other adapted in conjunction with the first to arrest the transporter at a higher level, and common means operable to move one stop member to the exclusion of -the other or both stop members simultaneously into and out ,of operative position.

20. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a vertically movable line transporter, two movable stop members, one for arresting vthe transporter at a given level and the other adapted in conjunction with the first to arrest the transporter at a higher level,and a rock shaft for moving the stop members to active and inactive positions, said shaft being operatively connected to one of the stop members and capable of axial movement to break said connection and establish a like connection with the other stop member.

RICHARD R. MEAD. 

